Friday, August 31, 2012

This week’s fabulous room is just the kind of space I’d love to spend some time in this weekend. This living room is part of a Sonoma, California pied-a-terre, home to textile designer, Susan Snyder who divides her time between this stunning home and an apartment in Paris. The Sonoma home is featured in the September/October 2012 issue of Veranda. I love the clean color palette—stark white and warm brown. The room is so striking in its simplicity. The palette really allows the architectural details in the space to take center stage. I also love the clean lines of the fireplace and the furniture. The coffee table, which would be perfect for a bibliophile like myself, is vintage as are the brown leather Marcel Breuer chairs (I have a black pair in my home), and the Marcel Breuer credenza. The space is warm, inviting, and so, so chic!

Houston friends, be sure to save the date! Neiman Marcus has asked me and four other Houston bloggers—Beth of Houston’s Weekly Chic, Monica of Classy & Fabulous, Samantha of The Peak of Tres Chic, and Bailey of Peppermint Bliss to share our top beauty picks at their Beauty Kick-Off Event on Tuesday, September 11th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Join us for cocktails, demos, samples, mini-facials, a red lip station, and braid bar. The first 250 guests will receive a bag full of beauty swag! For more details, visit Houston Tidbits. Hope to see you there!

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Hi, everyone! Today, we have a guest post from Laura Umansky, a Houston-based interior designer and shop owner with fabulous style.Laura U also publishes a magazine that I was recently featured in. Please join me in welcoming her as she shares her passion for the fabric that has her seeing spots! This is Laura U's inaugural guest post for La Dolce Vita and I am taking this very seriously because I know Paloma's readers are extremely fashion-forward. So, I only want to talk about what is making my Heart. Absolutely. Stop.Kristina, one of the super-talented designers at my Houston-based design firm, Laura U brought the most amazing fabric sample back from a recent shopping trip. Both of us are crazy for it (to the point of dreaming about it) so we immediately bought up every available yard! Needless to say, you will be seeing A LOT of fabulous vintage furniture upholstered in snow leopard fabric coming up on shoplaurau.com (Hello, my new love: fireplace fender in black and white spots). Now that we have this insane amount of this snow leopard fabric, I am noticing it everywhere! Clearly not a coincidence.

There are many great pieces in the same print in other color ways (industry lingo for versions in other colors), but this goes to show that animal print is timeless. Mark my words, this never goes out of style. It just goes quiet and then comes back with a roar!
Do you prefer snow leopard or classic leopard?

Hello LDV readers, Brendan here of (BAD) Blog About Design. On today's edition of "Global Architecture" I was inspired by California Glamour. When I think of California, I think of large estates set on perfectly manicured lawns, stylish women dressed in stunning outfits, and views of mountains and pristine beaches. (ABOVE) Designed by Warren Callister on Belvedere Island, this stunning California home has views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The landscaping gives the home an intimate feel. The mansard roof was a great choice as it plays up the home's elegance. (BELOW 1) Nestled behind trees, this modern home is located in Santa Barbra. It has a very 70s inspired architecture, very modern California glamour. The landscaping surrounding the home stays in line with the home's modern architecture. It's clean, simple, and well maintained. (BELOW 2) This European inspired villa is located in Holmby Hills. The front doors are absolutely stunning. The black stands out against the limestone facade. I love the tree in front of the left window. It has such an unusual form and makes a big statement as people come to the front door. (BELOW 3) The backyard of this Santa Barbra mansion is breathtaking. The many boxwoods create a nice "fence" around the pool which has sweeping views of the sea. I could see the most glamorous photoshoot taking place here. Which estate is your favorite?

The Fashion: For the looks above, I was inspired by both Malibu and Beverly Hills. The beaded Milly dress could be worn for a stroll with your loved one on the beach or to chic restaurant in Beverly Hills. The Noir necklace has both a casual vibe with the robe chain and formal vibe with the crystal pendant. It's the perfect Malibu-Beverly hills inspired piece. The Anya clutch is just the right amount of sparkle for you outfit. A little black glamour? Which piece is your favorite?

(ABOVE 4) The Mediterranean Revival, Hearst Mansion located in San Simeon, has sweeping views of the mountains and shore. The home was designed by architect Julia Morgan who had originally planned to design a small bungalow for William Hearst. After a month of discussion the decision for a small bungalow grew into a large scale castle. What are your thoughts on the Hearst Castle? (ABOVE 5) Designer Kelly Wearstler is well known for her love of Hollywood Regency. This fantastic sitting area has all the elements for California glamour. How amazing is that large sculpture to the far right? I love all the stone! What do you think of the Kelly Wearstler space?

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The New York International Gift Show was filled with beautiful textiles. I would venture to say that more textile lines are represented than furniture lines. I noticed two prevalent styles: classic, embroidered linens a la Leontine and lots of lines featuring block-printed techniques and Asian-inspired patterns a la John Robshaw. There were a few select lines with really beautiful textiles which I’ll share with you here.

{My friend, Coco of COCOCOZY is so talented! Every item in her booth was absolutely stunning. I especially loved these gorgeous linen pillows. How beautiful is the chevron chain pattern on the left? It’s always a treat to see Coco. She is immensely talented—balancing a very demanding day job, a fabulous blog, and her gorgeous, thriving line of textiles. Not to mention, her energy and enthusiasm are absolutely contagious.}

{More Beautiful COCOCOZY Pillows}

{The DwellStudio booth was great. They had a big emphasis on their textiles, which were all fantastic and vibrant. I would have loved to have seen their new furniture and lighting collections.}

{I’m in love with this gorgeous coral-trimmed bedding from DwellStudio.}

{The SFERRA booth was beautiful. They literally offer linens in every color under the sun. Check out the color spectrum wall made from their linen napkins!}

{A Lovely Thanksgiving Tabletop at SFERRA}

{I really enjoyed meeting the girls behind Burrow & Hive, a line of beautiful textiles based in Chicago. Aren’t these scarves gorgeous? They also make pillows, placemats, totes, bedding, and offer their fabrics by the yard.}

{I also loved meeting the adorable Christen Maxwell and seeing her beautiful wares in person. How fun are these stylish pouches?}

{I loved the neon piping on these linen pillows at Christen Maxwell. I also love the patterns—all of which are travel based.}

{Christen is starting to venture into the world of furniture. I loved these little stools. Aren’t the bases great?}

{Allem Studio had some beautiful, vibrant textiles. The quality of their cotton is great, too. Everything was super soft. I loved seeing patterns that I had not seen represented before.}

{Fun Prints and Patterns at Allem Studio}

{Hamburg House, based in Florida has some really gorgeous custom embroidered linens. I loved the borders and shapes that they had.}

{More Beautiful Linens from Hamburg House}

{The Pyar & Co. team was so friendly and so well-dressed! It was great to be able to meet them and see their stunning line of handmade pillows.}

{Aren’t these pillows delicious? They are sumptuous and luxurious—perfect for adding a touch of glamour to any room.}

Hi there! It's Liz with another installment of Closet Confidential and today I want to talk about the perfect fall boot. I don't know why but a good riding boot is usually the first thing on my shopping list come cooler days. They are timeless, effortless, and seem to get the best bang for their buck in my wardrobe. I have always been a fan of the traditional riding boot but with high heeled options and adorable booties making their way onto the scene, it is difficult to narrow down my favorite choices.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

As I mentioned last week, I am very glad that I had the opportunity to experience the New York International Gift Fair. While I felt that a lot of what was on display has been around for a while and there were a lot of common themes, there were certain booths that were both refreshing and inspiring. If I’d had a reseller’s tax ID, I think I could have done some serious damage at the show. I will be sharing my favorites over the course of a few posts—there is A LOT to see! Today, I am sharing my first round of favorite finds.

{The Oomph booth was one of my favorites. I love their chic and cheerful line and the booth itself was delightful. The space was well-merchandised and everyone there was so friendly.}

{I love Oomph’s new mirrors and lanterns. The console table and skirted ottoman are pretty fabulous as well!}

{Oomph’s Signature Tables in Fun Shapes and Colors}

{Bungalow5 had some great pieces as well. The color blue played heavily into their inspiration for fall. This high-gloss blue chest makes a pretty strong statement.}

{I loved these Pagoda lanterns.}

{Lots of Bamboo-Inspired Pieces at Bungalow5—I love the desk!}

{Designer, Kathryn McCoy’s background in fashion inspired her to use gemstones and minerals in her gorgeous line of accessories. Naturally, I was most drawn to her lamps.}

{These lamps were the perfect size and they look fantastic with oversized shades. Which one would you opt for?}

{I really enjoyed the Madegoods booth. Everyone was super friendly and they had so many fabulous, statement-making pieces featuring innovative materials. I love the Hollywood Regency vibe of the vignette. It feels very Kelly Wearstler, doesn’t it?}

{Madegoods had a lot of items that used cool materials such as these little table made from petrified wood encased in Lucite. They also had glazed zinc which gives a more polished touch to industrial-inspired pieces.}

{Design Legacy has a huge booth filled with covetable pieces, including this fabulous Lucite chair. Notice how thick the side panels are. It’s insane! I also love the peacock blue hue on the walls along with the pair of abstract paintings.}

{I like this new take on the Saarinen Tulip Table as well as the chrome chair with Greek Key detail.}

{A Stunning Secretary at Design Legacy}

{A Beautiful Abstract Painting Encased in Lucite at Design Legacy}

{Blue and Chinoiserie-inspired designs were a huge trend at the show as demonstrated by this pillow display at Design Legacy. In my mind, these items are classics, but they are definitely having a resurgence in popularity.}

{Mr. Brown is Julian Chichester’s sister company with a bit of a younger, cooler slant. They had some cool lighting options, like these globe pendants as well as many quatrefoil details.}

{I love this oversized quatrefoil mirror.}

{Marble and Gilded Iron Quatrefoil Nesting Tables—Love them!}

{Bliss Studio also had their own version of a quatrefoil mirror as well as this amazing nailhead-studded dresser.}

Which booth or item from this NYIGF round-up speaks to you the most? Did you spot a piece you’d love for your own home?